Fire-escape



(No Model.)

B. STEVENSON.

FIRE ESGAPE. No 296,243. Patented Apr. 1, 1884.

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ATTORNEYS.

ROBERT STEVENSON, OF MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN.

PATENT OFFICE.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,243, dated April 1, 1884.

Application filed January 29, 1834, Nb model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT STEVENSON, of Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have invented a new Improved Fire-Escape Ladder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to ladders for use with balconies or platforms at the several stories of a building, and to connect the balconies with 'the ground.

The invention consists of an arrangement of a ladder preferably along the ends of the several balconies, said ladders being positioned in a casing closed by doors to conceal the ladder from view when out of use. The door or doors of the casing each have latches which connect with a rod or bar extending along the casing, and having catches which engage with the latches of all the doors and also handles at each of the balconies, so that the doors of the ladder-case may all be opened by moving the catch-bar at either balcony, all as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

This invention is designed more especially for use with my improved system of folding fire-escape balconies, for which United States Letters Patent were issued to me on the 29th day of January, 1884:; but the improvement is applicable to any other system of balconies, either fixed or movable.

, Reference is be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a building fitted with my improvements arranged along the ends of the balconies; and Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the ladder and its casing on the line a: m, Fig. 1, and with the casing-door closed.

The letters a indicate a series of balconies arranged below the windows of the several stories of the building. These balconies may be constructed to lie in fixed horizontal positions, or so as to fold up against the wall of the building, as described in my before mentioned Letters Patent.

In the present improvement the ladder 1), connecting the several balconies with each other and the ground for escape of the occupants of the building, is arranged in a bOXOl casing, c, in this instance set up along the ends of the balconies a, said casing 0 having its front or door preferably made in sections, d, of

about the height of the respective stories of 5 5 the building, and each door-section d has any approved spring-acted latch, 6, adapted to look upon the catches of a rod or bar, f, which is supported within or along one side of the case, so as to be engaged by the latches e of all the doors alike, and said latches c are constructed to lock automatically on the rod f when the doors (1 are closed, and also to be unlatched by a vertical movement of the rod f, which has an arm, projecting toward each balcony, so that the rod may be lifted from either balzcony to simultaneously unlatch all the doors (I of the casing to permit the escape of the occupants of any part of the building from the balconies to the ladder b, and. thence to the ground. In case a single door (I only is used, it may be provided with several latches, which may all catch upon the barf, and be simultaneously released from any balcony, as above described; or the ladder may be used without the balconies, and the several handles g be moved from the windows of the respective stories of the building.

The doors (2 may have any suitably-fitted springs, to throw them fully open and hold them open when the latches are released by the movement of the barf.

The ladder b may be of any approved construction.

In practice I propose to make the casingladder and latching-rod and catches all of approved fire-proof material.

These devices are simple and efficient, and provide readily-operated means for permitting instant use of the ladder when occasion requires, and also of covering the ladder from view, so that the appearance of the building shall not be greatly marred by the application of the ladder to the building.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a fire-escape, the incased ladder, with its case provided with catches, in combination with the sliding bar provided with latches engaging with said ca-tches, and with handles projecting through slots in said case, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ROBERT STEVENSON.

Vi tnesses:

RoBT. E. BUNKER, FRANK Wnrrrmnsu. 

